GE to William Blackwood, Florence, 27 May 1860
Title
GE to William Blackwood, Florence, 27 May 1860
Title
GE to William Blackwood, Florence, 27 May 1860
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
William Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1860-05-27
Place
Florence
Letter Content
GE to William Blackwood, Florence, 27 May 1860
MS: National Library of Scotland. Extracts published: Cross, II, 230-231.
Florence | May 27. 60.
My dear Major Blackwood
I am much obliged to you for writing at once, and so scattering some clouds which had gathered over my mind in consequence of an indication or two in Mr. John Blackwood's previous letter. The "Times" article arrived on Sunday. It is written in a generous spirit, and with so high a degree of intelligence, that I am rather alarmed lest the misapprehensions it exhibits should be due to my defective presentation, rather than to any failure on the part of the critic. I have certainly fulfilled my intention very badly if I have made the Dodson honesty appear "mean and uninteresting," or made the payment of one's debts appear a contemptible virtue in comparison with any sort of "Bohemian" qualities. So far as my own feeling and intention are concerned, no one class of persons or form of character is held up to reprobation or to exclusive admiration. Tom is painted with as much love and pity as Maggie, and I am so far from hating the Dodsons myself, that I am rather aghast to find them ticketed with such very ugly adjectives.
We intend to leave this place on Friday (3d) and in four days after that we shall be at Venice -- in a few days from that time, at Milan -- and then, by a route at present uncertain, at Berne, where we take up Mr. Lewes's eldest boy, to bring him home with us. We can hardly manage all this before quite the end of the month, and I should like to receive a letter from Edinburgh at Berne (Poste Restante). In the unlikely case of any important reason for writing soon, Milan would be the address that would find me by the 'ab14th or earlier'bb 12th.
We were both very glad to hear your favourable report about the "Physiology," and I am happy to tell you that the author's personal physiology is also in a more promising condition than when I last wrote. We are particularly happy in our weather, which is unvaryingly fine without excessive heat. There has been a crescendo of enjoyment in our travels, for Florence, from its relation to the history of modern art, has roused a keener interest in us even than Rome, and has stimulated me to entertain rather an ambitious project, which I mean to be a secret from every one but you and Mr. John Blackwood.
By the by, Mr. Lewes, before we left home, requested Mr. Langford to send a copy of "The Mill on the Floss" to Holly Lodge. The last report we heard was, that the copy had not arrived. Will you be so kind as to repeat the request on our behalf? Possibly Mr. Langford may have thought our absence a reason for not sending books; but we have left a friend there who is anxious to read the book, and will have no other means of getting it.
Any news of the "Clerical Scenes" in its third edition? Or has its appearance been deferred? The smallest details are acceptable to ignorant travellers. We are wondering what was the last good article in "Blackwood," and whether Thackeray has gathered up his slack reins in the "Cornhill." Literature travels slowly even to this Italian Athens. Hawthorne's book 550 is not to be found here yet in the Tauchnitz edition!
Mr. Lewes unites with me in kind regards, and I am always
Yours very truly
Marian Evans Lewes.
Major Blackwood.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Extracts published: Cross, II, 230-231.
Florence | May 27. 60.
My dear Major Blackwood
I am much obliged to you for writing at once, and so scattering some clouds which had gathered over my mind in consequence of an indication or two in Mr. John Blackwood's previous letter. The "Times" article arrived on Sunday. It is written in a generous spirit, and with so high a degree of intelligence, that I am rather alarmed lest the misapprehensions it exhibits should be due to my defective presentation, rather than to any failure on the part of the critic. I have certainly fulfilled my intention very badly if I have made the Dodson honesty appear "mean and uninteresting," or made the payment of one's debts appear a contemptible virtue in comparison with any sort of "Bohemian" qualities. So far as my own feeling and intention are concerned, no one class of persons or form of character is held up to reprobation or to exclusive admiration. Tom is painted with as much love and pity as Maggie, and I am so far from hating the Dodsons myself, that I am rather aghast to find them ticketed with such very ugly adjectives.
We intend to leave this place on Friday (3d) and in four days after that we shall be at Venice -- in a few days from that time, at Milan -- and then, by a route at present uncertain, at Berne, where we take up Mr. Lewes's eldest boy, to bring him home with us. We can hardly manage all this before quite the end of the month, and I should like to receive a letter from Edinburgh at Berne (Poste Restante). In the unlikely case of any important reason for writing soon, Milan would be the address that would find me by the 'ab14th or earlier'bb 12th.
We were both very glad to hear your favourable report about the "Physiology," and I am happy to tell you that the author's personal physiology is also in a more promising condition than when I last wrote. We are particularly happy in our weather, which is unvaryingly fine without excessive heat. There has been a crescendo of enjoyment in our travels, for Florence, from its relation to the history of modern art, has roused a keener interest in us even than Rome, and has stimulated me to entertain rather an ambitious project, which I mean to be a secret from every one but you and Mr. John Blackwood.
By the by, Mr. Lewes, before we left home, requested Mr. Langford to send a copy of "The Mill on the Floss" to Holly Lodge. The last report we heard was, that the copy had not arrived. Will you be so kind as to repeat the request on our behalf? Possibly Mr. Langford may have thought our absence a reason for not sending books; but we have left a friend there who is anxious to read the book, and will have no other means of getting it.
Any news of the "Clerical Scenes" in its third edition? Or has its appearance been deferred? The smallest details are acceptable to ignorant travellers. We are wondering what was the last good article in "Blackwood," and whether Thackeray has gathered up his slack reins in the "Cornhill." Literature travels slowly even to this Italian Athens. Hawthorne's book 550 is not to be found here yet in the Tauchnitz edition!
Mr. Lewes unites with me in kind regards, and I am always
Yours very truly
Marian Evans Lewes.
Major Blackwood.
Signature
Marian Evans Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to William Blackwood, Florence, 27 May 1860, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/94180